Patient Dies After Waiting For Over Three Hours In The Emergency Room

By Bill GalluccioOct 15, 2019

A patient died at WellSpan York Hospital in Pennsylvania after waiting for over three hours in the emergency room. The unidentified patient was brought to the emergency room by ambulance and was suffering from stomach pain and dizziness. They were initially treated and tested for sepsis.

About an hour later, they were discovered unconscious in the waiting room. Hospital staff attempted to resuscitate the patient, but their efforts failed and they were pronounced dead.

Surveillance video showed staff members walking past the patient 12 times while they were in the waiting room, but the nurses never walked through the room after they failed to respond to their name being called.

"We have reviewed what happened and taken immediate steps to correct any issues which contributed to this event. We are committed to doing our very best, every day, for every patient, and we will continue to work hard to make sure that happens. To that end, we continue to redesign our processes to ensure access to high-quality, timely care for all."